Western Washington, Grays Harbor County, 1939
Elma’s story
173 years in pictures
Census counts: 345 in 1890, 3,438 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
- 1853Elma is settled
ElmaWA
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,534
2025 Census estimate · +2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$363K
−0.9% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
42.6
years
Jobs based here
1,452
Balanced
TownGrade
C−
#229 of 285 in WA
What should you know before moving to Elma?
Elma's standout: it is more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades C−, ranked 229th of 285 in Washington. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Elma, where Washington’s towns sit at 7.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
What makes Elma stand out
Where Elma beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
8.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1853
A long history
A history going back 173 years.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Earthquakes and inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Elma has grown 14% since 2010
3,107 counted in 2010 and 3,438 in 2020; an estimated 3,534 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Elma grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Elma is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 95% of comparable towns) to D for hazard risk (better than 6%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.9 of 20; 4% of households have no carA+Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$78K median household incomeCOpen →SafetyC+Open →HealthLess healthy than 62% of U.S. towns; Summit Pacific Medical Center 0.9 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landCOpen →History3 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.6; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Elma: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elma, and how to reach them.
PowerPUD No 1 of Grays Harbor County12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Elma water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Elma’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereGrays Harbor County AuditorGrays Harbor County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code9854198541 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Elma.
Elma has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns and trades workers with Olympia and other neighbors, but it has poverty well above the Washington rate.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Elma
Since 1979, 20 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Elma.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
20
paid flood claims since 1979
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
Elma’s schools rank ahead of 53% of Washington districts
Its public schools are run by the Elma School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Elma High School, with 578 students.
53%of WA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elma Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 688 | – |
| Elma High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 578 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade C
Elma’s typical home value is about $363K
The typical Elma home is worth about $363,000, down 0.9% in a year, 38% below the Washington typical home. Elma’s median rent is $984 a month.
$363KZillow home value
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $984 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 71% | 73% |
Typical home value
Elma$363K
Washington$588K
−0.9%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Elma has mild winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 76.5°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34.2°.
Elma has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Elma is 77°F. About 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
2″snow a winter
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 34°F | 35°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–48°
Spring39–60°
Summer51–75°
Fall42–62°
Oct 14
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Elma sees more crime per resident than 65% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 82 to 57 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within Washington, it does better than 57% of towns.
35%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15 per 1,000 residents | 15.1 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Elma1.1
Washington2.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Elma15
Washington20.2
U.S.15.5
35th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
57th
percentile among WA towns
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
53
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in eight working residents works right in Elma
Elma has about as many jobs (1,452) as working residents, but only 181 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 1,055 in 2013 to 1,452.
Most working residents leave Elma for work: only 12% work in town. Since 2013, Elma has added 397 jobs, to 1,452 in 2023. The top destinations are Olympia (8%), Seattle (7%) and Aberdeen (5%).
12%work in town
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 4.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Elma12%
Olympia8%
Seattle7%
Aberdeen5%
Tumwater4%
25 mi
median commute distance
1,452
jobs based in Elma
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC+
Elma stands out in Washington and nationally: a larger share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
40% of Elma adults sleep under 7 hours. Among 285 Washington towns, just 10 have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Elma. 23% of Elma adults get no exercise outside work.
38%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 71% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
31 measures vs. Washington
0 better9 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Elma | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.8% | 9% |
| More smokers | 15.6% | 10.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.6% | 5.1% |
Summit Pacific Medical Center
0.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.8%conserved
| Elma | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 4% | 4.3% |
0.8%
conserved · 13 of 1,770 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lloyd Murrey Park | — | 7 |
| 2. Gladys Smith Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Edward Silas Morton Jr. Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Elma
20pages on Elma
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 53% of WA districts · 6 schoolsSafetyC+1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than WA on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC$363K typical home · down 0.9% in a yearWork & commuteC$78K median household income · 1,452 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Elma; the nearest are
Grays Harbor CollegeCommunity college · Public · Aberdeen18.8 mi$5,593 in-state tuitionThe Evergreen State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Olympia20.9 mi$9,264 in-state tuitionClatsop Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Astoria, OR60.1 mi$5,110 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Elma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
Famous people from Elma
3 notable people were born in Elma.
About Elma
City in Washington, United States
Elma is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,438 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1853
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 49 ft
- ZIP code
- 98541
- Area code
- 360
Elma’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Elma.
How the neighbors grade
Satsop isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Elma with a neighbor →
Questions about Elma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Elma, WA a good place to live?
Elma grades C− overall, better than 20% of U.S. towns and #229 of 285 in Washington. It grades C+ for health, C+ for safety and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Elma, WA safe?
Within Washington, it does better than 57% of towns.
Is Elma, WA expensive?
That is 5.6 years of the area's median household income ($64,414 across the Aberdeen, WA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Elma, WA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Rod Derline and Bud Ward.